Nanny8
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Posts posted by Nanny8
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You are required to purchase a temporary St Kitts drivers license. The cost is $24 US. It is good for 3 months. Most car rental agencies will issue the temporary license.
Great. Thanks for the info. It appears that the car rental agency is open on boxing day but we weren't sure if they would be able to issue the license. We've sent the car rental place an email to check.
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No idea, but I think nearly two weeks is too long. I had no problems booking my Antigua excursion. Very prompt with confirmation within 24 hours. So, I am not sure spotty internet is to blame here. Think I am going to look into Thenford Grey's Tours.
He got back to me and unfortunately he is fully booked that day. We'll try to rent a car instead and drive ourselves around.
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Just wondering if anyone has rented a car on St Kitts. We're not sure about the special drivers license
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Anyone been able to get in touch with Royston's lately? Trying to book for December and filled out his form, but never heard back. Been nearly two weeks. I'll try again but just wondering if anyone's been able to get in touch with him lately.
I've had the same problem. Booked online but haven't heard bsck from him. How long does he usually take?
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I have a bridge in Brooklyn I am selling at below market price. Perhaps you might be interested in purchasing it?
Regarding the "cold food at the buffet", "People vomiting in the halls, common areas and in one of the dining rooms" and "closet door falling off its hinges in the middle of the night", this sounds like he must have been on North Korea's first cruise ship, the anti-luxurious Mangyongbong, not the Celebrity Summit. Take a look at this article for more details on a different approach to cruising: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2032602/North-Korea-launches-cruise-liner.html
We were on the same ship. I don't know who the OP is but I can say we had similar experiences on this same Summit, same sailing. One of our cupboard doors snapped in half when I opened it.
I am not a picky person. I used to run an orphanage in Africa so I have pretty easy going, laid back standards and consider cruising to be one of the nicest ways to travel. I feel very lucky to be able to afford a cruise however, I have to say, we were quite disappointed in almost every aspect of this cruise (3rd time on the Summit). At times it felt like we were on a very different type of vessel.
We did not witness the vomiting but we stayed in our room as much as possible to avoid any illness but the strangeness of the entire experience was very different. A little better communication would have been appreciated, other than reminding us that washing our hands prevents illness and to report to sick bay if we experienced any symptoms. The ominous spraying of hallways and wearing of masks and gloves by the staff was all very eery and left travelers with a bad taste. pardon the pun
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We are currently on the Summit sailing from Puerto Rico. We have found this cruise to be well under the standards we have come to expect from Celebrity. Embarkation day was a free for all. People were made to stand in line outside in the heat. We saw a person in wheel a chair and one that told the staff they were diabetic asking if they could just sit in the AC no way. Once the doors were open and check in complete seating was limited again no one tried to organize the mob that tried to rush through one door to board the ship. The rest of the cruise consisted of cold food at the buffet,empty hand sanitizer stations on top that Norovirus broke out.People vomiting in the halls, common areas and in one of the dining rooms.This caused a removal of all books, throw pillows,and bedding dust covers from the staterooms.The rooms had to be sprayed with a machine as well as wiping down the walls.Dining became slow in all the dining rooms,we dined in AQ classes Blu. Nothing could be touched sugar,salt and pepper packets were handed out with tongs. The trip continued with our closet door falling off its hinges in the middle of the night. During the time spent at the pool no for at least two hours came to see if a drink was wanted. When we told guest relations of our concerns they couldn't be bothered. They did screw the closet door back on.We have many cruises under our belts most with Celebrity but this was pathetic.
We just returned home from the same cruise (summit Dec 17-24th). I was extremely surprised, saddened and disappointed by the recent cruise. We knew something was up on day two but things went from bad to worse rather quickly and when we noticed staff wearing masks and spraying (think fumigator) outside your house only this was outside your room, you begin to wonder "what the heck is going on?". We asked the guest relations, if we should be evacuating the ship and they told us that everything was well under control.
They drained the pools and hot tubs to sanitize them (which I appreciated) however they didn't tell anyone that this was happening and guest relations weren't even sure why this was happening until we inquired.
The entire cruise was very strange as noted above with things disappearing from the room and throughout the ship. You could see staff spraying the railings and the tour buses (again wearing masks) and handing out gloves etc to the tour operators. We managed to stay in our room as much as possible and ordered room service to keep away from the virus. On the occasion that we did venture out, we did not see anyone vomiting but again we didn't venture out much in order to stay well.
As well, the accessible lift to the rooftop terrace was out of order the entire cruise and this was promised to be repaired the first day. It was not fixed the entire cruise.
Our cupboard door broken in half (literally in half) when we opened it. They came down, took it off and glued it back together and replaced it. I pointed out that the other was was cracked and was likely going to break off as well, they just shrugged.
This was our 3rd time on the Summit and it has been our favourite ship up to this point. I cannot say how disappointed I was in this cruise.
We could not get a hot cup of coffee anywhere on the ship. It was ridiculous. This was a common complaint. At one point the coffee was not even lukewarm it bordered on cold.
The only saving grace was that the food in the main dining room was good (yes we did go there for our evening meal (at 5:30 to make sure we were first in and first out) Our server (Yogi) was excellent and he made the trip pleasant. We also luckily had booked a balcony because I had recently suffered a broken foot and knew I wouldn't be getting on many excursions so a balcony was a nice distraction. Good thing because as it turns out it may have saved us from getting very sick.
This entire cruise was very different from our previous Summit experiences even if you remove the Norovirus part. The service was far below their usual standards. I will think twice before booking on this ship again. My husband heard another couple say that they were on the ship in April and they couldn't believe how bad it was now compared to then.
I feel awful because I just spent a good amount of time defending the Summit to someone else on a different board (regarding their recent cruise). Now I have to eat crow. Ours was the worst vacation I have been on in years. Not sure what has happened to Celebrity but I'm not too eager to book with them in the near future.
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If you are going to the beach, I would bring baby powder. It really takes the sand off of you before going back to the ship.
Never heard of that before. What a great idea though. Thanks
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We book a cruise over a year ago on the Silhouette leaving April 2. Got a decent price, great cabin 9th deck, on the bump, drink package and $650 in OBC. I work for the schools and this is our spring break--statewide we all have the same week off. Airfares are crazy---for 2 people flying out of Detroit cost is $1,800!!! IF we could take the exact same me flight:mad: a week later cost is $775 for 2 people. I can NOT take the day off before or after break. - I have been looking at airfare since June, even then it was over a $1,200 for 2 of us. Very disappointed--- not at Celebrity-- but airlines
Just a thought... try looking for flights leaving from Canada. Our school breaks are in March. Your dollar is terrific compared to ours so you can get more for you buck. Toronto is about 4 hours away. It means a very long drive and going in the day of the cruise but in April weather is not going to be an issue from Toronto.
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I think they had public banos somewhere, but darned if we could figure out where, so we did what we had to do...stopped for pizza with our bathroom :D
great idea to post a pic of the price of the pizza etc too. Gives others an idea of prices there. I am loving the pictures. They are so beautiful.
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We always make copies of our passports to carry or store separately from the originals.
However, our passports never stay onboard in a foreign country, they stay with us if we leave the ship. We exercise the same cautions as with our cash, credit cards, etc. It is the single most important personal document you own. Many don't realize it is a law in some countries, that foreign residents carry it on their person. Imagine if there is an actual emergency, legal or medical, or even missing the ship. Having a copy might be better than nothing but not nearly as functional as the original. Someone explained it to me with this example; in your own country of residence, when you get stopped for a traffic violation, will the law enforcement officer accept a paper copy of your drivers license? I
realize this is a personal decision and there have been endless debates on the forums, just offering another perspective. Something only you can decide.
We used to live in a bit of a dicey developing country. We were told to carry both (the real thing and a copy) -but in different places on your person- in case one got stolen from one place you would likely still have the other. The reason the copy was considered important was that if your real one got stolen you could present yourself to the embassy and they could use the photocopy to replace your passport -in theory. Some of the places we were in had me thinking we wouldn't have had much luck even with the copy but it's what the officials in our own country told us to do before we went overseas so we did. We still do it when we travel for pleasure.
A hint for the men out there. Always place your wallet in your front pocket. It is much harder to pick pocket a front pocket without the person knowing. And wear your money belt under the front of your pants/ skirts because they can be clipped very easily from the back if they are simply under your t-shirt. Helps with the whole passport thing.
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cruise ship policy may ban musical instruments from being brought on board at all. you will need to make sure it can be brought on board in the first place. and they may request that you store it with security to prevent you from playing it on board, where you could disturb other passengers or horn in on the paid entertainment staff( especially if you are better than they are! :D)
And if you had been on our last ship you likely are much better than the hired musicians they had :)
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We've been to Bermuda twice now with Celebrity. I've never been able to capture the colour of the water as your pictures have. Very nice.
Glad you had a nice trip around the island. It isn't too hard to see the whole (every inch) of the island as it's pretty small but is it a pretty island. We find it is similar to Prince Edward Island (We're originally from Nova Scotia).
Thanks for all the lovely pictures and the details of the TA trip. I would love to do this trip some time and visit some of my father's relatives from the UK while I'm at it.
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From the Botanical Gardens to Christiansted you are headed right up the middle of the island (that's why the road in between is called Centerline Road) so there is lots to see. Lots of little hole in the wall restaurants and shops along that road but no beaches. When you get into Christiansted be sure to hit The Blue Mutt on company street and the Purple Papaya down on the water.
Hi Drake.
It turns out that we can't rent a car because they don't offer liability insurance throught the rental agencies and we won't drive without it. I'm in a bit of a pickle because I recently broke my foot so I can't walk around. I wondered if you know of any beaches that a taxi might be able to get me close enough to so that I can get on to the sand without too much walking. I have a special cane that will allow me to walk on sand but I really can't go to far. I figure that's about all I can do. I can't tour a town and I can't be in a car too long for a tour because my foot swells if it's down too long so a tour with a group is out of the question. I just want to get from the cruise terminal, to beach, on to the sand and put the leg out and then back to the cruise. I have the cast off now so I can swim (My husband will help me in and out of the water)
Thanks
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Just wondering if anyone remembers the prices of the coffee? I'm talking just a regular black coffee. Not a specialty coffee just a Pike place or a Blonde or a decaf. Just trying to figure out the budget for my coffee fix. :)
Oh and I'm asking for the Allure or Oasis.
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We are in St. Thomas right now and we are docked at Crown Bay. With us are the Allure of the Sea, Eclypse, and Niew Amsterdam.
It's not showing any ships in port on St.Thomas today. That's how accurate the websites are. It shows several ships in on the 7th and the summit in on the 9th. Ugh.
http://www.virginislandsthisweek.com/st-thomas/transportation/cruise-ship-arrivals.html
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We are going on our 1st cruise in April of 2017 to Hawaii on Princess Cruise Line. Are they really strict about formal nights? my husband will wear a pair of slacks, shirt, tie and vest. i want to wear a maxi or mid dress but i cant wear heels.
also what is the weather like on sea from San Francisco to Hawaii like?
I can't wear heels at the best of times but for sure now because I broke my foot 8 weeks ago so I'm wearing Keens' water sandals and using a knee scooter to get around on the cruise.
I always pack two sundresses with various shawls to dress them up. I also pack a coupe of skirts and t-shirts with a couple of light dressy sweaters. I rotate the sweater/shawls between the outfits. It works well. I pair a cute dressy necklace on the dressy nights to make it flashier.
My hubby takes two pair of beige pants and two different dress shirts with a dark jacket and several golf shirts.
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You might want to pick up some dressy flat sandals that you can also wear during the day. I wear sandals like these on cruises:
http://www.zappos.com/paradox-london-pink-flame-silver
Great day or night and can be dressy or casual depending on what you are wearing. Most importantly, they are comfortable.
Very nice
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Hello, just joined this forum as I and my man are gonna go cruising on ALLURE OF THE SEAS in Febr 12th 2017.
It's our first time ever on a big ship cruising for one week.
I am reading all the threads re the Allure and found it most helpful and loads of useful tips :)
As the ship leaves at 4.30 pm when is the best time to be at the port, meaning less people and standing in line?
well, more thoughts and questions will certainly pop up, I'm sure :o
Thx for now,
Nina
Welcome to CC. So excited for you to enjoy your first cruise. I am sure you are going to love it and be hooked. Most people arrive between 11 and noon. If you are leaving from Miami, the port is great and we have never had to wait long to board there. Have a terrific cruise and don't forget to pack your swimsuit and hat in your carry on so you can enjoy the pool while you are waiting for your bags to arrive. You usually don't get into your room until after 1:30. We usually grab lunch, head to a pool or hot tub and relax until our room is ready. Have a great trip.
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I am looking for advice. We are thinking about a trip to New Zealand, but we are apprehensive about driving on the right. My husband came up with the idea taking a cruise and renting a car on one of the Caribbean islands to see how this will feel. We are looking for suggestions of islands where we are not thrown into busy traffic from the start. For instance, I don't think Jamaica would be a good choice. So we would like an island with less traffic and a car rental that is not located in a large city. Hoping that you all might have some suggestions. (Also a great way to get another cruise booked)!
Hmm. We usually rent scooters when on the islands. I know that Bermuda drives on the left as does Nassau. We rented scooters on both of these places numerous times. We also had extensive experience driving on the left with a standard vehicle (so we had to shift with the left hand with the steering wheel on the right and drive on the left-fun, fun, fun). We used to live in a developing country so not much scares us driving wise.
Bermuda has tight little roads with sharp turns but we felt fine on the scooter because we drove slowly (plus the scooters don't go that fast). A cruise from Bayonne stays on Bermuda for three days which gives you a good amount of time to get used to driving on the island (Celebrity cruises). However you cannot rent a car there just scooters but it may give you a feel for that opposite side of the road driving. That might be the one you want to try if you want to take your time getting used to driving on the opposite side of the road. Plus it has a variety of traffic with city (in Hamilton) and country style (out by the airport and beaches). Just a thought.
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Hello, please HELP!!! I have only been on 1 cruise (carnival splendor) last March and really want to go on Harmony of Seas. My family and I are looking to cruise in May, June, or July on Harmony of the Seas. However, I keep seeing such negative reviews regarding crowds, wait times, cleanliness, and rude staff. Curious as to what everyone else's experience on this ship were like, PROS/CONS. We are so close to booking Harmony of the Seas and then see these bad reviews so we are very hesitant! Any advice helps! Thanks in advance :)
Also, is Allure or Oasis better than Harmony? Which one would you recommend?
I've never been on a Harmony of the Seas but my SIL and her hubby love all the the RC ships. We like the mid sized ships like the Celebrity M class but we are looking into the RC Adventure for the spring because it has a ridiculous deal and we can only travel at certain times as educators. I think you have to listen to your gut and do what's best for you. Look at pics of the ship, see what it has to offer and decide if that is right for your family. Remember that there is just no pleasing some people so some reviews may be biased and can throw you off. I agree with easyboy take the reviews with a grain of salt.
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Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on accessible excursion ideas for Dominica? I won't be using a wheelchair but rather a knee scooter (broken foot). I won't be able to do the falls, the gorge etc. I was thinking of taking a taxi to the town and rolling around and then stopping to rest at a cafe or restaurant or park etc. I know the rain forest would be better but I looked at You tube videos' and I won't be able to get my scooter through the paths so that's out :(. Does anyone know if the streets/sidewalks are cobblestone or cement?
Thanks
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Depends on the mosquito. The Tiger mosquito is attracted to bananas. No idea about the Aegypti mosquito
Funny eh? I read some research articles on the whole banana thing. There is evidence regarding mosquitoes being more attracted to those who ingest bananas but the studies are limited.
We went by the evidence of people who lived in Africa for 34 years.
Mosquitoes are going to bite you no matter what you use. Just do the best you can and don't worry too much. As I mentioned before I really did not notice too many mosquitoes in any of the islands we visited and they are super attracted to me.
If you are super worried remember you must spray your clothes as well and your hair too. They love to bite the scalp. They do bite through clothes (even thick clothes like jeans so remember to spray your clothes :).
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See, I see these people as open game. They are my fun. If you find it rude when people say "like" a lot, like I really like it. It is like totally rad. I am easily entertained and people like that need to be shown what it is like to be them. There is not a chance in hell I would move. They are mine, all mine and I want to play with them the whole cruise.
Oh you are bad :) and that is awesome ! I love it.
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We are doing a southern caribbean cruise in early 2017. We think it would be fun to rent a motorcycle for a day and see the sites on our own, but never having been to any of these islands (St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Barbados), we aren't sure if one island would lend itself better to such an activity. We aren't big city people if that makes a difference:)
We appreciate any feedback!
I'm a little nervous of renting a motorcycle but we usually rent scooters when we visit islands such as the Bahamas and Bermuda. We used to live in Africa so we are familiar with driving on the opposite side of the road and driving with crazy drivers who don't care if they run you down or not. After driving in Nairobi nothing really scares us anymore. That being said, we have lived back in Canada for 6 years now and have been driving in more normal traffic (although I still hate driving in Toronto and avoid it at all costs-way worse than Nairobi).
We are renting an ATV on St. Maarten (Johnny's ATV rentals) and driving around on our own. The rate is very reasonable, you can go at a slower pace and go off the beaten track so we are hoping that we won't be dealing with the crazies. I know there will still be those who will be trying to pass us but we will drive defensively.
You can also book the ATV as a tour but we are doing our own ( we got a double so I don't have to drive and can be on the lookout for the crazies :)
Confirmed Dining Time but Waitlisted
in Princess Cruises
Posted
Is it possible the the number (52 or 17) represents the actual table number or location? or Wait listed(52)could simply be their way of saying that even though it is confirmed you will have to wait for a hoat/hostess to seat you. They can't possibly seat everyone at the same time due to volume and number of hosts to walk you to your table. As others have said, a call or emailmay help set your mind at ease. Hope it works out well for you.